1913 New York Giants Team Photo with Mathewson and Thorpe

Vintage original press photo, culled from The Detroit News archives, capturing the 1913 National League Champion New York Giants in a traditional team pose. Twenty-eight team members are pictured in uniform posing together at the Polo Grounds, including manager John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, Jim Thorpe, Rube Marquard, and Wilbert Robinson (coach). Reverse markings include an "International News Service" credit stamp (type used by the syndicate between the years 1912 and 1915), a date stamp reading "Filed Before June 1919," and a number of period handwritten editorial notes. Despite the lack of a precise year stamp on the reverse, this photo can be conclusively dated to the 1913 season based upon the players pictured. Wilbert Robinson was only a coach with the Giants from 1911 through 1913, whereas Jim Thorpe did not join the Giants until 1913. Thorpe, fresh from his remarkable performance at the 1912 Olympics where he won gold medals in both the decathlon and pentathlon, struggled during his Major League debut with the Giants, batting just .143 with one home run and two RBI in thirty-five at bats. Thorpe played for the Giants (interrupted by partial seasons with Cincinnati and Boston) over the next six years, with middling success, and he eventually retired in 1919 with a .252 lifetime average. The Giants were the dominant club in the National League at the time of this photo, winning three consecutive National League championships between the years 1911 and 1913. Unfortunately, McGraw's club did not fare as well in the postseason, losing the World Series each year. The photo (8.375 x 5.875 inches), which displays remarkable clarity, has a few very minor flaws common to nearly all press photos, including light surface wrinkles, slightly uneven borders, and editorial marks/outlining. Excellent condition overall. Reserve $200. Estimate $400+. SOLD FOR $940

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